Cougar Microbes

Last February Israel Cannan set out on a road trip around his native Australia that lasted over 6 months. Armed with just a guitar he set out in a van with an aim to play to as many people possible around the entire country.

Following his previous release the singer/songwriter held mixed feelings about the music industry as a whole and this nomad state may well have given him the creative energy he required.

The entire journey was filmed and documented on YouTube showcasing his grass roots efforts and the interactions he had with the public . You get the feeling Israel Cannan benefited from his travels both as a songwriter and, crucially, as a person.

the album ‘Walk‘ is out now on Poets Corner Records

TRACKS:

The Veronicas, Australia’s musical answer to the Olsen Twins, have shot a powerful anti-fur ad for PETA.

Having already made a strong stand in the past Jess and Lisa Origliasso are now depicted holding what looks like skinned rabbit with the slogan “Here’s the Rest of Your Fur Coat“.

There is also a video to accompany the campaign where the sisters further discuss their views.

TRACKS:

The Veronicas – Untouched

Emily Barker is back leading all female ensemble The Red Clay Halo and this is the first track from their new studio album due next year. The Australian songstress is currently holed up in an East London recording studio recording acoustic-folk gems.

If ‘Little Deaths‘ is anything to go by it is going to be an album worth waiting for.

TRACKS:

Since we featured them back in May the girls and boy in Teenagersintokyo have continued the promotional assault for the album ‘Sacrifice‘. Their latest single ‘New Day‘ is another infectious slab of dance pop from the Sydney quintet that practically dares you not to nod your head in appreciation.

TRACKS:

Teenagersintokyo – New Day

Sydney quintet teenagersintokyo are set to release their debut album ‘Sacrifice‘ on June 1st and have some UK dates to boot. I will definitely be catching them on the London date and you should too. There are also dates around Europe planned including The Netherlands, Germany & Ireland.

TRACKS:

teenagersintokyo – Peter Pan (The Horrors remix)

As I write, The Middle East are fresh off the back of a handful of January shows in native Australia opening for indie-folk heroes Grizzly Bear. A fellow Cougar scribe recounts an awkward performance from the Townsville outfit in support of Okkervil River last year in which the three-piece stumbled their way uncomfortably through a short set.

However, on the evidence of 2009 EP ‘The Middle East’, a reworking of 2007 album ‘The Recordings of The Middle East’, these Antipodeans are growing comfortable in the company of more acclaimed piers such as the aforementioned Grizzly Bear, Iron & Wine and Fleet Foxes. Complimenting the spacious song-writing this release is crafted with tasteful, minimalist production. The glockenspiels and sparse pianos on standout track ‘Blood’ in particular refresh the palette and leave the listener thirsty for more.

Let’s hope The Middle East are growing more at ease in front of audiences as the stages seem set to only grow larger.

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Post by Kenny the friendly ghost.

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TRACKS:

The Middle East – Blood

The Middle East – The Darkest Side

Lions At Your Door are a band I have been meaning to write about for a while now. The Sydney gang’s ‘self titled‘ EP was frequently spun at Cougar HQ, coming across like the bastard child of Blondie and early Pretty Girls Make Graves. Forgoing the typical band lineup by adding a full time violinst augmented their already loud ruckus of jangly guitars, spooky organs and high-hat heavy drumming. Undoubtedly the bands true ace up their collective sleeve is singer Marihuzkha booming voice which dominates proceedings daring you not to pay attention.

Despite the bands indie leanings they remain catchy as fuck so I am not at all surprised to see this sextet’s music translate into other arenas, which is exactly what is happening courtesy of Gash Digital. The British label is set to release a remix album of the bands signature tune ‘LAYD‘ drafting in DJs from all corners of the world. The new mixes show Lions At Your Door in a new light spreading their appeal to new audiences.

Check out these storming tunes and THAT voice.

MP3′s:

Lions At Your Door – C-C-C-Crossfire

Lions At Your Door – LAYD (Mailer Daemon Mix)

My buddy Pedro is a self confessed “mammoth power chord” addict. Like a ruthless label A&R guy he selects the music he likes (and in many cases hates) by listening to the first 30 seconds of each song. I have tried to tell him that certain tracks are slow burners but he says he has no time for a song that doesn’t catch him right away. At least I know that when he recommends a track he really likes them.

I can imagine that discovering Australia’s Airbourne was a dream come true for him. The rest of this review  is more or less taken directly from the email he sent me urging me to write about this band:

Airbourne‘s debut album ‘Runnin’ Wild’ had me hooked in ten minutes. Opener ‘Stand Up For Rock N Roll’ is an absolute mind blast and it hadn’t been since I first heard AC/DC back in high school that a band was so fast to capture my attention.The title track was next on and I had to turn the volume UP, I was headbanging alone in my room like a drunken nutter. At this point i honestly expected the rest of the album to consist of a lot of filler, instead it just got better and better. Imagine listening to a hard rock Green Day album and you might get the idea of how well this album is produced and how bombastic it sounds. Its hard to believe these guys are in their early 20s’s!

When I heard Airbourne were hitting Milan I knew I had to see them and in front of my eyes they delivered a hair standing performance. Frontman Joel O’Keeffe howls, wild solos, head thumping beats as well as constant stage diving, mad mosh pit action and repeated fist pumping made every person in the crowd enjoy a perfect evening. It finally seems like a new band is playing nothing more and nothing less than the straightforward rock n roll I love.

-Another great rock n roll lesson hailing from Australia.

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